Relay center for remote control wiring system

ABSTRACT

A relay center is provided for control with lower voltage control circuits of higher voltage power supply circuits. The relay center has a two level partition detachably mounted in a dimensionally conforming metal box. The first or rear level of the partition serves to position and retain relays extending through the partition between a high voltage and a low voltage side. The second or upper level is equipped with a terminal bar permitting highly visible, easily accessible, low voltage wiring of the relays.

United States Patent 11 1 I Stefani' I RELAY CENTER FOR REMOTE CONTROL WIRING SYSTEM Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Stanley J. Witkowski Inventor: Joseph P. Steiam, Warwick, R.l. Anamey paul E- Rochford a. [73] Assignee: General Electric Company, 1

Prov1dence, R.l. ABSTRACT [22] Filed: 1972 A relaycenter is provided for control with lower volt- [21] Appl. No.: 230,290 age control circuits of higher voltage power supply circuits. The relay center has a two level partition detachably mounted in a dimensionally conforming metal box The first or rearlevel of the partition serves to Fie'ld sition and retain relays extending through the partition arc between a high voltage and a low voltage side. The sec- 0nd or upper level is equipped with a terminal bar per- [56] References Cited mitting highly visible, easily accessible, low voltage wir- UNlTED STATESPATENTS ing f the relays I 7 3,201,955 9/1965 V on Hoorn. ..i 317/113 '1 3,493,317 2 1970 'Shattack et a1. 317 113 3 Claims, 4 Drawlng Flgures l i i |o as 49 2 I30 44 32 39 a 132 10s 74 fi; 1 l

if l 1" FR, 1 I 1! i FM 1L l 140 I30 74 3 fi llh 4 I i 1 371 3, 7ss-,s2s

[ 1 Sept. 11, 1973 4 PATENTEU 1 I915 1 3,758,828

' SHEEI 1 BF 2 FIGURE RELAY CENTER FOR REMOTE CONTROL WIRING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Remote control wiring systems are well known in the art. Each of these systems have two separate subsystems which operate together. The first is the power sub-system and the second is the control sub-system. With reference first to. the power sub-system this subsystem is connected between a source of a power, normally at line voltage and located proximate a building service entrance, and the circuit or line to receive the power. It includes the higher voltage switching elements of a relay, preferably of the double acting variety so that power from the source can be fed to the circuit or interrupted based on operation of the relay.

Turning next to the second sub-system this is the control sub-system and its operation is at a lower voltage of perhaps 25 volts'or otherwise below the voltage at which higher personal hazard and special wiring precautions are necessary. The control sub-system is connected to a low voltage end of a relay and controls the operationof therelay. A circuit for a control subsystem can be formed with bell wire and can be included on wall surfaces without special sheaths. Multiple controls for a single relay of a control sub-system are thus economically feasible. For this reason the wiring of the low voltage part of such a remote control wiring system is frequently the more complex and time consuming part of installation of theentire system.

Relay centers for remote control wiring systems are known in the art. S. Pat. No. 3,1 78,618 and U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,207,955 and 3,493,817 assigned to the same assignee as this application teach relay centers having relays mounted in partitionswith the respective ends of the relay which operates at higher voltage and at lower voltage extending respectively into a higher voltage and lower voltage compartments of the center.

While relay centers as taught in these patent referen-.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a remote control relay center having greater versatility in installation of such remote control systems.

Another object is to provide a relay center which may be wired with greater efficiency.

Another object is to provide a partition for a relay center capable of being at least in part pre-wired.

A further object is to provide a partition for a relay center which may be used interchangeably in center housings of a variety of constructions.

Still another object is to provide units which can be ganged into a larger relay center formed by ganging smaller units having related control elements.

According to one form of the present invention a two level partition fora relay center is provided. Thepartition is preferably of sheet metal construction and has the general cross-section of an L. Means are provided on the base of the L for detachably mounting the partition within a metal housing to form a relay center with a higher voltage and a lower voltage compartment. A shelf preferably of sheet metal is provided on the low voltage sideof the partition above the base of the L and knock out discs are formed in the upright wall of the L between the base and shelf for mounting of relay units BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an exploded perspective view of a relay center including a pair of partitions as provided pursuant to the present invention illustrating their relation to metal enclosures in which they are housed.

FIG. 2 is a partial front elevational view of a relay center showing partitions positioned in a metal box to divide it into one low voltage and two high voltage compartments.

FIG. 3 is an end view of one partition of FIG. 2 showing the back wall of the housing in which it is mounted in section.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the other partition of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I Referring first to FIG. 1 two partitions l0 and 12 are shown in the approximate position in which they may be mounted as a pair in a large metal housing 14 or in which a single partition, either 10 or 12 may be mounted in a smaller metal housing 16. Generally the length arid width of the partitions corresponds to the length and width of the housing. A metal cover 18 is also shown in position from which it may be mounted to the face of box 14 to close it. A similar box cover of smaller dimensions, not shown, can be employed to close the smaller box 16. Screws such as 20 extending through screw holes such as 22 and 24 may be employed to secure a cover 18 in place on a box such as 14 or 16.

Each partition 10 and 12 is a two level structure an carries on these two levels essentially all of the electrical components for a remote control center. Because all essential elements are included, a partition (either partition 10 or 12) may be included interchangeably in housings 14 or 16 to make a remote control center. Thus partitions l0 and 12 can be included in a three compartment box or either partition 10 or 12 can be included in a two compartment box 16. Further, although not illustrated, two partitions such as 12 can also be incorporated in a larger box such as 14 and such a boxed unit can be employed in cooperation with a box such as 16 having incorporated therein a partition such as 10. The differences between partition 10 and partition 12 are explained below.

This versatility of relay center formation results in part from an interchangeability of partition units and also results from the feasibility of ganging smaller units. The interchangeability in turn stems from the unique mounting of all electrical elements on the two layer partition as described more fully below. Referring next to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 a more detailed description is given of the novel structure of the two ing such as 14. The upright 32 forms a divider wall of the L form and is seen to be integral with and extend up from base 30. I

The L cross-setion of the partition 12 illustrated in FIG. 4 is seen reversed as it is seen from its reversed L end. However, it is evident that its L form is essentially the same as that of the partition 10 of FIG. 3 with base 40 shown disposed against rear wall 34 and upright 44 formed integrally with base 40.

Mounted to each partitionwall or upright 32 and 44 and extending out over the respective bases 30 and 40 are shelves 31 and 41. In each of the illustrative partitions 10 and 12 shown the shelves 31 and 41 are formed as part of an angled strip, one arm 36 and 46 respectively of each of which is mounted respectively to each upright 32 and 44 of the partitions l and 12. In FIG. 3' the vertically extending arm 36 is seen mounted to the upper end of upright 32 and another arm 38 of the angle strip slopesfoutwardly and downwardly from the point of attachment to the upright 32. Similarly upwardly extending arm 46 of an angled strip is attached to the upper end of the upright 44 of the partition 12 of FIG. 4 and arm 48 of this strip extends out from upright 44.

Another portion of the shelf 31of the partition is the insulating fiberboard strip 50 on which in turn is mounted contact terminal strip 52, the terminal strip and insulating fiberboard being held in place by bolts 54 threaded into arm 38. Terminal strip 52 may be seen in FIG. 2 tobe made up of a conventional elongated insulating body having individual connectors 58 and pairs of screws 56 threaded to the connectors.- The connectors 58. are separated by insulating spacers 60.

In the partition 12 on the right side of FIG. 2 the parts correspond in essence to the above mentioned parts of the partition 10 on the left of FIG. 2. Thus insulating board .70 supports the contact strip 72 mounted to board 70 by screws 74. Pairs of screws 76 in individual connectors 78 are separated from adjoining pairs of screws and associated connectors by spacers 80.

A bus bar 62 and associated terminal screws 64 is mounted on partition 10 and a bus bar 82 and associated terminal screws 84 is mounted on partition 12. This bus bar on the respective partitionsserves to connect the low voltage common wires and improves efficiency of wiring over use of individual connectors for this purpose.

. When partitions 10 and 12 are mounted in a housing 14 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the space 11 between the two partitions 10 and 12 is the ,low voltage compartment 13 of a relay center. A high voltage compartment is located to the left of partition 10 and to the right of partition 12. Between the two partitions 10 and 12, all wires and connectors are at a lower voltage value.

In this type of relay center diodes are sometimes used to increase the amount of switching control which can be achieved with a given number of wires. A diode may be included in the low voltage compartment by connection as shown to two connector strips by means of the screws such as 56. Such a diode can accordingly be mounted to the partition and may be installed as part of the pratition installation.

In this type of relay center it is usual to use step down transformers. A step down transformer is shown mounted by bolts 106 through one end of partition 10. High voltage leads 102 and 104 in the high volage compartment side'of the partition receive line voltage from a source not shown. Low voltage supply to operate the low voltage control portion of the remote control system is derived from leads 108 and 110. With the partition 10 as shown it is feasible to mount the step down transformer 100 in the partition prior to mounting of the partition into the metal housing 14 and even to in part pre-wire the transformer 100 to its associated electrical elements of the partition 10.

Turning next to a consideration of the relationship of the'relays such as 112 and 140 to the partitions I0 and 12 respectively and to the overall operation of the remote control system it is evident from FIG. 1 that a relay such as 112 can be inserted from the high voltage side of a partition such as 10 through openings such as 114 in the partition at a level below the shelf level at which wiring of the relay center portion of the low voltage control circuit is implemented.

Referring again to FIG. 1 relay 112 is inserted through opening 114 in upright 32 of partition 10. Prior to insertion a knock out disc of conventional design is removed from the partitionat each location where a relay is to be inserted.

A cylindrical low voltage end 113 extends below shelf .arm 38 of partition 10 into the low voltage compartment l1 and the high voltage switching end 115 remains in the high voltage compartment 13 to the left of partition 10.

After a given set of relays are mounted in a partition a certain amount of wiring on the low voltage side of the partition can be carried out even before the partition is mounted in a metal housing such as 14 or 16.

Low voltage connection is made as best illustrated in FIG. 4 by connecting the pigtail leads and 122 extending from the low voltage end 113 of the relay 140 to the appropriate screws of the terminal strip 72. A common or return lead 124 is connected to bus bar 82. It is evident that the individual relays, or a number of .relays mounted in a partition such as 12 can be prewired and provided to the trade in this fashion because of the novel two level construction of the partitions of this invention. Because the pigtail wires such as 120, 122 and 124 are color coded there is no confusion possible to the end user in installing such a partition in making up a relay center employing this novel construction.

The installation of a pre-wired remote control partition involves mounting a metal housing such as 14 of FIG. 1 to a wall proximate an electric service entrance of a house for example. A partition such as 12 is prewired with a desired member of relays and the prewired partition is then mounted in the metal housing 14 in the position indicated by phantom line 128. Fastening the partition in place is accomplished with screws such as in the back wall of the metal housing 14 cooperating with screw slots 132 in partition 12. Because the screws 130 are not symetrically located in the metal housing 14 and the screw slots are similarly not symetrically spaced from the ends of the bases of the partitions, the partitions can only be mounted with the low voltage sides facing each other to form low voltage compartment 1 1;

A low voltage cable containing the individual color and number coded wires which carry the low voltage control signals to the relay center may be brought into a metal housing such as 14 through an opening to the low voltagev compartment formed by removal of a suitably located knock out plug such as 136 in the top wall 35 of housing 1.4. In such a cable there are sufficient control wires to control the preamble relay which can be mounted in partitions and 12 and contained within a housing such as 14. This would be about 36 wires if nine individual relays are mounted in the two partitions l0'ai1d 12, where indicator lights are employed as each such relay has four pigtail wires.

As'is readily evident from FIG. 2 the wiring of the control wires entering the low voltage compartment 11 between partitions 10 and 12 through top wall 35 or bottom wall 37 is greatly facilitated by the ready access which may be had to the second screw of each connector of the terminal strips. In other words where the partition includes pre-wired relays suchas' relay 140and wires such as 120, 122 and 124 are in place before con trol wires are to be installed, the novel combination of elements of the partition and the manner in which they cooperate'makes it feasibleto wire in the control cable with a maximum convenience, reliability, and efficiency.

Regarding now the high voltage compartments such as 13 and high voltage wiring, the cable carrying the high voltage may be brought directly into the high voltage compartment through the portion of the top and bottom wall and all of the side wall of a housing such as 14 or 16 which defines the high voltage compartment. Conventional knock out discs such as 137 seen in FIG. 1 are first removedand the wire is held in place at the entrance hole by conventional bushings.

The high voltage end of relays such as 140 employed in a partition and relay center of this invention have wire receiving apertures at their sides. Wire clamps are positioned internally within the relay to receive and clamp a wire end such as wire 142, a short length .144 of which is shown stripped. Turning screw 146 closes the clamp about, the wire. The result is an inserted and connected wire such as v148 having no exposed live electrical parts. No accessory terminal strips or other accessories are needed in connection with the high voltage wiring of relays such as 140. Once the relays are mounted on a partition such as 10 or 12 they are held in spaced relation along the partition and the high voltage power carrying wire can be brought through the high voltage compartment outer wall and connected directly into the wire clamps of the relays with no need for intermediate or accessory connections. The two level partition as furnished, with relays inserted and wired in place, is ready for direct connection of control wire on the low voltage side and the direct connection of the controlled power lines on the high voltage side.

Regarding the ganging of relay centers this is entirely feasible particularlywith respect to the low voltage control cable and wires. The high voltage lines need not normally be ganged, unless some special control function is to be performed, as each line is normally separately controlled by a single relay. The low voltage control may be carried out in combinations such that a single switch controls a combination of relays in a single housing. The controlled relays may be identified for illustrative purposes as relays A, C and G of a series of nine relays lettered according to the alphabet A through l.

However, if it is desired to control a relay bearing illustrative designation J in a second housing such as 16 from the same switch it is not necessary to run a separate line from the switch to the second housing but rather to run appropriate connections from the first to the second box. In this regard it should be noted that it is not necessary to use a partition such as 10 in the second box in order to have the benefit of a source of low voltage in the second box. Rather the low voltage of the step down transformer in the first box can be supplied to the relays in a second box ganged with the first box. The low voltage from terminals 108 and 110 in fact is the low voltage supply for the entire low voltage switching and control system including indicator lights. A number of schemes for simplifying wiring of low voltage control circuits, such as use of diode in the circuit, are known in the art and can be employed in connection with the remote control relay partitions and remote control relay centers of this invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A relay center, said relay center comprising an elongated partition of conductive material having a laterally extending base and means for detachably mounting said partition into a housing to divide said housing into high voltage and low voltage compartments, v a shelf extending laterally from said partition and overlying said base, I

a terminal strip having a-first set of spaced-apart terminals and a second set of spaced-apart terminals thereon,

said terminal strip mounted in insulated relation on I said shelf,

a plurality of spaced-apart relay openings beneath said shelf and above said base,

a bus bar having terminal screws thereon mounted in insulated relation-to said shelf and extending at least partly along said shelf in spaced relation to said terminal strip,

a plurality of relays, each of said relays being mounted in a respective one of said relay openings,

each of said relays having a low voltage portion prewired to said first setof terminals,

said second set of terminals being available for connection of control wires thereto without disturbing the pre-wired connections to said first set of terminals.

2. The relay assembly of claim 1 wherein said partition has a low voltage side and said shelf extend from said low voltage side.

3. The relay assembly of claim 2 wherein said mounting means comprises slots in said base non-symmetrically positioned with respect to the length of said base for ensuring that said partition can be mountd in said housing only in a position wherein said low voltage side of said partition is disposed in said low voltage compartment.

0 v 4 W I 

1. A relay center, said relay center comprising an elongated partition of conductive material having a laterally extending base and means for detachably mounting said partition into a housing to divide said housing into high voltage and low voltage compartments, a shelf extending laterally from said partition and overlying said base, a terminal strip having a first set of spaced-apart terminals and a second set of spaced-apart terminals thereon, said terminal strip mounted in insulated relation on said shelf, a plurality of spaced-apart relay openings beneath said sHelf and above said base, a bus bar having terminal screws thereon mounted in insulated relation to said shelf and extending at least partly along said shelf in spaced relation to said terminal strip, a plurality of relays, each of said relays being mounted in a respective one of said relay openings, each of said relays having a low voltage portion pre-wired to said first set of terminals, said second set of terminals being available for connection of control wires thereto without disturbing the pre-wired connections to said first set of terminals.
 2. The relay assembly of claim 1 wherein said partition has a low voltage side and said shelf extend from said low voltage side.
 3. The relay assembly of claim 2 wherein said mounting means comprises slots in said base non-symmetrically positioned with respect to the length of said base for ensuring that said partition can be mountd in said housing only in a position wherein said low voltage side of said partition is disposed in said low voltage compartment. 